Strumpet's Viewfinder

Licensing, Copyright, and Creative Commons

Ever since I joined Flickr, my copyright license has been set to “All Rights Reserved”.  

I chose this option when I first joined, because I wasn’t sure HOW I felt about other people using my work. I also wasn’t sure about where I was going with the whole creative endeavor - whether I wanted to try to make serious money off my photography or what.

Also, when you allow any licensing of your work through a Creative Commons license, it overrides any setting you have restricting downloads/saves of your photos.

I have kind of felt bad about this setting for a while.  I mean, who do I think I am?  And I think I decided some time ago that I am not going to pursue starting any kind of a serious business.

So, for the past month or so, I have been thinking about changing to a Creative Commons license.  I just haven’t been sure which one.

I mean, part of me feels like if someone wants to BUY my photos as a card or a poster, or gallery wrap, I would still like them to pay me.  So, I am keeping those options open on my SmugMug site - for the images that I actually wouldn’t feel bad about taking money for.

But I DO want people to be able to use my photos on their blogs or otherwise on their website, as long as THEY’re not making money off it and I’m not.

I am a little possessive about my work though.  I don’t want people to change it without my permission.

My friend Alachia thinks people should be able to create art from your art.  And I get where she’s coming from.  But I work hard on my photos, and still feel too possessive about the result to let people change it.  Maybe she’ll talk me ‘round one day.

So, for now, I have made my Flickr photos available through a Creative Commons license:   Attribution, Noncommercial, No Derivative Works

Maybe I will regret this.  I mean, it’s not like I have great faith in humanity or anything, and there is nothing now to STOP someone from using my work commercially — I have to trust them.  Something I don’t think actually works.  And I don’t know if I can spend days upon days trawling the internets to make sure no one is using my work for profit.

But, I DO want people to be able to use it.  And use with attribution is better than no use at all, right?  

So, there you go.  I have taken the leap.  I still feel a little strange about it though.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strumpet101